After passing through the layers of strict inspection by the Gate Defense Officer stationed at the Royal City gate, by the time Hualí entered the Human Royal City, ‘Saint Lord Castle’, it was already around nine in the evening.
“Strange? Isn’t it not time for bed yet?”
Hualí held the letter sent by Penina in her hand, looking around.
Many shops along the street had clearly closed early, even though it was still within business hours, their glass doors shut tight and ‘Closed’ signs hung inside.
Only a few shops still open had employees standing guard at the entrance, their faces tense and wary, as if on constant alert for something.
Hualí had only seen such a scene once before during her time living in the Human Royal City.
She remembered that incident vaguely…
One night, a twisted murderer who targeted girls appeared in the city.
It was recorded in the Prosecutor’s archive in the Royal City, and the code name was.
‘Girl Ripper’
Recalling this, Hualí shivered and hugged the Saint Sword in her arms tightly.
She had seen it on the Headline Newspaper of the Royal City—the images of the victims were increasingly tragic.
Most of them had their abdomens slashed open, pixelated, and blood flowed everywhere—it was terrifying.
And that wasn’t even the worst part.
Among the large number of victims, there were even several Noble Ladies.
Even when the Forces behind them joined to pressure the Prosecutors, they still couldn’t catch the killer.
“That person couldn’t have started acting again after a period of silence… right…?”
Hualí’s voice even trembled slightly.
She shook her head, forcing herself to shake off these useless thoughts.
No!
She couldn’t worry about such unlikely things anymore.
She had returned with a Task—how could she waste precious time on things that would probably never happen?
Hualí looked again at the letter Penina had sent her.
The letter said, if Hualí saw it and chose to return to the Human Royal City, she should go to the Light Cathedral to find her as soon as she arrived.
She must not act alone.
Speaking of acting alone… although she had no idea where to start anyway.
‘Gururu~~’
At that moment, Hualí’s stomach let out an embarrassing rumble.
It was as if all her strength had suddenly been drained, her calves turned to jelly, and she found herself unable to walk any further.
In her memory, the distance from where she stood to the Light Cathedral where Penina was should be at least a two-hour walk.
Hualí decided on the spot to fill her stomach before heading out to find Penina.
“Hehe~ Anyway, Penina usually stays in the cathedral at night and doesn’t go anywhere, so there’s no need to rush~”
Hualí looked for a nearby restaurant that was still open.
The aroma wafting from the kitchen was overwhelming for someone who had gnawed on dry rations for three whole days.
Saliva uncontrollably dripped from the corners of her mouth.
She staggered inside and even bumped into a Customer leaving after finishing their meal.
“Sorry… sorry!”
The person frowned, wanting to scold Hualí, but when they saw the sword in her arms, they swallowed their anger and left in silence.
“Be more careful next time!”
“Gu…”
Hearing the commotion at the entrance, a Waiter hurried over with a wide smile.
He was a man with short blond hair, about twenty-one years old, dressed in a black and white Waiter uniform.
A black bow tie was at his collar, and a single Black Rose was tucked into his breast pocket.
“Uh… Customer, here to dine? Please, have a seat inside. I’ll bring the Menu right away.”
Hualí nodded and chose the seat farthest inside.
Soon, the Waiter brought over the Menu.
Hualí began doodling small circles on it with a pencil, while casually asking about what had happened recently in the Royal City and why so many shops had closed early.
“This…”
The Waiter’s eyes showed a flash of surprise.
“Customer, are you new to the Royal City? How do you not even know the news that made the Headline Newspaper?!”
Hualí blinked.
She hadn’t expected anything to really have happened.
Her circle-drawing slowed as she listened intently to the Waiter’s explanation.
“……Those people were walking on the street just fine one moment, and the next they suddenly went mad. They looked like they’d been struck by Madness, their eyes rolling back, unable to say a coherent word, biting at people, smashing things—no one knows the cause to this day……”
The Waiter’s description was so vivid and bloody that it felt as if the Royal City would fall to chaos at any moment.
Hualí’s face went pale.
Zombie Siege?
“Oh, sorry, sorry, I got carried away.”
The Waiter laughed awkwardly and took away the Menu in front of Hualí.
“Have you decided on your order? I’ll send it to the kitchen right away. Please wait a moment, Customer.”
Hualí was still lost in the terrifying mental images.
She only recovered after shakily lifting the glass of water and gulping down a mouthful.
But from the Waiter’s explanation, she roughly understood why so many shops had closed early.
What puzzled her, though, was that according to the story, the Prosecutors in the Royal City seemed to have little effect.
Every day, people still went mad in the streets.
I’ll ask Penina about it later, Hualí thought.
She didn’t have to wait long.
The Waiter soon brought out the freshly prepared dishes.
Hualí dug in without reservation, finishing off the entire table in no time.
Picking her teeth with a toothpick, she patted her round belly and called for the bill.
“The total is two silver coins and twenty copper coins…”
The Waiter trotted over and did the math.
“Alright, let me get the money.”
Hualí began rummaging through the pocket of her skirt, searching with her small hand.
But the familiar, heavy weight was gone.
In its place was an emptiness, cleaner than her own face.
The smile on the pink-haired girl’s face froze.
No, where was her money?
Where was all the money she had?
“Hmm?”
Seeing Hualí fumble in her pocket for so long without producing enough to pay, the Waiter’s eyes narrowed, and he edged closer, silently blocking the girl’s only escape route.
She’s so cute—could she be planning to dine and dash?
At that moment, noticing the tense atmosphere in the restaurant, the Chef, busy in the back kitchen, stopped what he was doing.
He ducked his nearly two-meter-tall frame through the door, carrying a Bone Cleaver that still dripped blood.
His dangerous gaze swept over them.
His voice was rough and hoarse: “What’s going on?”
Seeing that Hualí had no money, the Waiter’s politeness vanished.
He crossed his arms and pouted in Hualí’s direction.
“Chef, I think this one wants a Free Meal Ticket.”
Really, cold sweat soaked her back.
Hualí’s lips quivered into a wavy line.
“I…I can explain……”
“Your explanation had better not be some overused excuse like ‘I lost my wallet’, or else…”
The towering Chef flicked the blood off the Bone Cleaver, grinding the blade with a menacing air.
They say people think fastest in a crisis.
Suddenly, Hualí came up with a way out.
She forced a smile, her sapphire-like eyes filled with sincerity.
“Haha…I don’t know if you remember, but Heroes of the Human race have Free Meal Tickets. I didn’t want to expose myself, but in truth—I am that Hero…”
“Oh, a ship’s new version I’ve never heard of?”
“No, wait! I’m telling the truth! I really am the Human Hero Hualí! If you don’t believe me… y-you guys, don’t come any closer!”